Cooling equipment

ABSTRACT

Cooling equipment for supplying jets of cooling liquid in laminar form comprises a horizontal header and a plurality of nozzles each of which is removably located in openings in the top and bottom of the header. The nozzles are sealed in the header to prevent leakage and to ensure that water in the header issues through the nozzles.

United States Patent 1 1 1 11 Howard Sept. 11, 1973 54] COOLING EQUIPMENT 3,321,140 5 1967 Parkinson et al. 239 5903 I 2,196,456 4 1940 Charroin 239/547 [75] invent: Davd Ward, sheffield 2,605,140 7 1952 Bartling 239 550 1 land 1,644,286 10 1927 Snow 239 550 1 1 Assigneer y and Engineering FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 3322: yorkshre 256,735 5/19 4 Australian" 239 547 [22] Filed: Allg- 31, 1971 Primary Examiner-Lloyd L. King l2ll Appl. No 176 454 A torney H em-y C. Westin AB TR T 152] US. Cl 239/550, 239/553, 239/566 [57] S 51 Int. c1 B05b 1 14 Cooling equipment for supplymgiets of cooling hquld [58] Field 61 Search 239/590, 590.3, 590.5, in laminar form Comprises a horizontal header and a 239/553, 566, 193 5 550 plurality of nozzles each of which is removably located in openings in the top and bottom of the header. The 5 I. References Cited nozzles are sealed in the header to prevent leakage and UNITED STATES PATENTS to ensure that water in the header issues through the l 1 1125,447 9 1963 1136111111 239 5905 mm es 1 3,105,641 lO/l963 Curcio 239/590.3 8 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures COOLING EQUIPMENT This invention relates to cooling equipment for supplying jets of cooling liquid in coherent form and without substantial turbulence. The cooling equipment of the present invention is intended primarily for cooling hot metal strip emerging from a-rolling mill, where the cooling effect is diminished if the liquid falls turbulently on to the surface of the moving strip.

In British specification No. 1,148,171, a distributor for distributing cooling liquid to strip material is described, the distributor including a closed header for the cooling liquid under pressure and a number of delivery pi pes connected to the header;- the pipes are so shaped and/or include means for promoting streamline liquid flow that the liquid delivered by each pipe is in the form of a low velocity substantially unbroken stream.

The present invention is based, at least in part, on'the principles described in specification No. 1,148,171, but embodies improvements which give the cooling equipment a more practical and adaptable form.

According to one aspect of the present invention, cooling equipment for supplying coherent jets-of cooling liquid comprises a header adapted to extend substantially horizontally, and a plurality of nozzle devices, each of which is adapted to be re'moveably located in openings in the top and bottom of the header and has sealing elements sealing the nozzle to the top and bottom of the header so that liquid from the header must pass through the nozzle. The nozzle device. is so designed as to produce at its lower end a laminar and nonturbulent jet of cooling liquid. Thus, each nozzle device may contain internal partitions which extend over a part at least of the nozzle device and which divides the liquid stream into a number of relatively small parallel streams. v

The invention includes a nozzle device for the cooling equipment, the nozzle device comprising a tubular element having an outwardly extending flange adjacent one end, a cap adapted to overlie the other end of the tubular element and provided with a sealing ring, and sealing elements for the flange and sealing ring.

The invention will be more readily understood by way of example from the following description of cool ing equipment in accordance therewith, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which FIG. 1 is asection through the equipment at right angles to the length of the header,

FIG. 2 is a horizontal section taken on the line II-lI of FIG. 1, and

FIG. 3 is a side viewof the cooling equipment with the clamping bar removed.

The cooling equipment includes a horizontal header 12, which is shown as having a rectangular box crosssection. In the. top 13 of theheader there are a series of equal circular holes 14, the centres of which lie on the centre line of the top 13. A similar set of holes are formed in the bottom 15 of the header, each hole, of which one is shown at 16, being vertically below one of the holes 14, and having a smaller diameter than that hole 14. Guard strips 17 are welded to the underside of the bottom 15 and extend the length of the header as shown in.FIG. 3. A

A nozzle device is dropped through each hole 14.

I This nozzle device is made up of a tubular element 18,

a cap member and two sealing rings 21, 22. The tubular element l8 has a central cylindrical portion 18A,

followed by a convergent portion 188, which leads to a lower end portion 18C having a cylindrical bore and an outwardly extending flange 23; the end portion 18C is a relatively close fit within the hole 16 and the sealing ring 22 is interposed between the flange 23 and the bottom 15 of the header.

Above the cylindrical portion 18A of the tubular element, the wall is outwardly flared at 24 and is reduced in thickness. Below the upper extremity of the tubular element, there is an integral, outwardly extending, rib 25; this rib 25 is generally circular in plan as shown in FIG. 2, but has four cut-outs 26 for the passage of water.

The cap member 20 is shown in FIG. 1 as having a cylindrical wall 20A terminating with a thickened rim 30 at its lower end. The rim 30 has a first cut-away 27 to receive the sealing ring 21, and a second cut-away 28 to receive the rib 25 of the tubular element. When the cap member 20 is located on the rim 30, the cutouts 26 form passages 29 for the cooling liquid. The internal wall of the cap member turns smoothly inwards and downwardly over the outwardly flared portion 24 of the tubular element and reaches downwardly into the tubular element to terminate in a point3l on the axis of that element. 1

The cylindrical portion 18A contains internal partitions designed to divide the flow of liquid into a number of relatively small parallel streams. As shown in FIG. 2, these partitions take the form of a tubular partition 32 having a smaller diameter than the cylindrical portion 18A. Partition 32 is spaced from the wall 18A by a castellated partition 33 and contains a star-like partition 34.

The nozzle devices are clamped in position in the header 12 by means of a clamping bar in the form of a U-section beam 35 the web of which overlies the cap members 20 and the flanges 36 of which protect the sides of the elements. The beam 35 extends the whole length of the header l2 and is bolted to support blocks 37 (FIG. 3); one of the nuts is shown at 38 in FIG. 1.

Each tubular element 18, with its sealing ring 22 around the end portion 18C is lowered through the appropriate hole 14 and into the corresponding hole 16. Four locating ribs 40 integralwith the tubular element are then positioned within the hole 14 and centralise the tubular member 18 within that hole. Next, the cap member 20 with the sealing ring 21 in place is placed over the top of the tubular member 18, so that the sealing ring 21 rests on the top 13 of the header. When all the nozzle devices have been placed in position along the header, the beam 35 is placed over the cap members 30 and bolted to the header 12. This has the effect of compressing the sealing rings 21., 22 so that efl'ective sealing is achieved.

During operation, water under pressure is supplied to the header 12 and, in the case of each nozzle device, passes through the hole 14 between the ribs 40. The water then passes through the passages 29 into the interior of the cap member 20 and is led smoothly round the flared upper extremity 24 into the interior of the tubular member 18. As the water passes downwardly through the central, cylindrical, portion 18A it is split up into a number of small parallel streams; although the partitions32-34 terminate at the start of the convergent portion 18B, the combining streams remain coherent and turbulence is not produced. In fact, the water leaving the end portion 18C falls without turbulence and strikes the strip below in an unbroken stream.

The tubular members 18 and the cap members 20 are preferably made by moulding a suitable synthetic resin, such as hard polyvinyl chloride. The beams 35 may also be made from P.V.C. but alternatively may be made of steel.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, l have explained the principle and operation of my header and preventing egress of liquid except through said nozzle device, and

a single clamping bar for said header which overlies said nozzle devices and maintains said sealing means in sealing engagement with saidheader.

2. Cooling equipment for supplying jets of cooling liquid comprising:

a substantially horizontal header having a plurality of pairs of aligned openings, one of each pair being in the top of the header and the other in the bottom,

a plurality of tubular nozzle members, each of which is removably-located in one said pair of openings, and has'a bore therethrough opening to the'lower extremity of the member,

each said nozzle member and the associated opening in the top of said header forming therebetween at least one passage through said header for the flow of liquid, 7

a guide cap for each said nozzle member overlying said opening in the top of said header and directing liquid passing through said passage into said bore,

first sealing means sealing said guide cap to said header to prevent egress of liquid except through said bore, and

second sealing means sealing said nozzle device to the bottom of said bore to prevent egress of liquid from said header through said lower opening except through said bore. v

3. Cooling equipment according to claim 2 in which each said nozzle member has a lower flange adapted to seat on the bottom of said header with said second sealing means therebetween.

4. Cooling equipment according to claim 2 in which said nozzle member has an apertured flange engaging with said guide cap.

5. Cooling equipment according to claim 2 in which said guide cap is shaped internally to direct liquid from the header smoothly into the open upper extremity of the nozzle member.

6. Cooling equipment according to claim 5 in which the nozzle member converges near its lower end and diverges at its upper end.

7. Cooling equipment according to claim 2 in which each nozzle member contains internal partitions which extend over a part at least of the nozzle member and which divides the liquid stream into a number of relatively small parallel streams.

8. Cooling equipment according to claim 7 in which the internal partitions include a tubular wall separated from the wall of the nozzle member by a castellated element and having therewith a star-shaped partition. 

1. Cooling equipment for supplying jets of cooling liquid comprising: a substantially horizontal header, a plurality of nozzle devices, each of which is removably located in openings in the top and bottom of said header, for each said nozzle device, sealing means sealing said nozzle device to the top and bottom of said header and preventing egress of liquid except through said nozzle device, and a single clamping bar for said header which overlies said nozzle devices and maintains said sealing means in sealing engagement with said header.
 2. Cooling equipment for supplying jets of cooling liquid comprising: a substantially horizontal header having a plurality of pairs of aligned openings, one of each pair being in the top of the header and the other in the bottom, a plurality of tubular nozzle members, each of which is removably located in one said pair of openings, and has a bore therethrough opening to the lower extremity of the member, each said nozzle member and the associated opening in the top of said header forming therebetween at least one passage through said header for the flow of liquid, a guide cap for each said nozzle member overlying said opening in the top of said header and directing liquid passing through said passage into said bore, first sealing means sealing said guide cap to said header to prevent egress of liquid except through said bore, and second sealing means sealing said nozzle device to the bottom of said bore to prevent egress of liquid from said header through said lower opening except through said bore.
 3. Cooling equipment according to claim 2 in which each said nozzle member has a lower flange adapted to seat on the bottom of said header with said second sealing means therebetween.
 4. Cooling equipment according to claim 2 in which said nozzle member has an apertured flange engaging with said guide cap.
 5. Cooling equipment according to claim 2 in which said guide cap is shaped internally to direct liquid from the header smoothly into the open upper extremity of the nozzle member.
 6. Cooling equipment according to claim 5 in which the nozzle member converges near its lower end and diverges at its upper end.
 7. Cooling equipment according to claim 2 in which each nozzle member contains internal partitions which extend over a part at least of the nozzle member and which divides the liquid stream into a number of relatively small parallel streams.
 8. Cooling equipment according to claim 7 in which the internal partitions include a tubular wall separated from the wall of the nozzle member by a castellated element and having therewith a star-shaped partition. 